Universal color bases



United States Patent 3,210,209 UNIVERSAL COLOR BASES Peter Daniel Jones and John Johnson Kilkeary, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware N0 Drawing. Filed June 29, 1961, Ser. No. 120,494 14 Claims. (Cl. 106-253) This invention relates to dual-purpose tinting color bases, i.e., concentrates of dispersed prime color paint pigments and extended prime color pigments, useful for tinting both aqueous polymer dispersion or latex coating compositions and ordinary organic coating compositions having a continuous organic phase. These color bases which are compatible in both water-dilutable coating compositions and organic solvent-based coating compositions are usually referred to as universal color bases or colorants.

Custom coloring of coating compositions has become particularly popular in recent years and this has created the problem of providing matching colors in both aqueous and organic solvent-based coating compositions. It is impractical for a paint store to stock quantities of premixed coating compositions for the entire range of tints and colors that can be made available. In providing service to customers, basic compositions, which are stocked in quantity, are tinted with one or more compatible color bases, i.e., dispersed pigment concentrates, to provide the selected custom color.

The inadequacies of ordinary pigments-in-oil concentrates as universal color bases for tinting solvent-based paints and enamels and the water-dilutable emulsion paints are well recognized in the coating art. Numerous approaches have been made to develop color bases which rovide an equivalent color contribution to the basic coating compositions regardless of whether the coating vehicle is aqueous or non-aqueous.

Typical resolutions of the problem are described in US. Patents 2,809,122, 2,878,135, 2,932,580, and 2,942,- 997. In these inventions which are moderately successful in providing universal color bases, the respective coloring pigments are dispersed in the presence of one or more classes of surfactants including a non-ionic surfactant which is at least water-dispersible if not watersoluble. These color bases ordinarily contain a volatile organic solvent which is water-miscible and which is at least partially soluble in the organic coating vehicle. Some of these universal tinting bases further contain an oleaginous component such as a vegetable drying oil or a water-soluble soap of a vegetable drying oil acid.

Copending application Seeker Serial No. 765,738, filed October 7, 1958, now U.S. Patent 2,996,397, describes and claims universal color bases wherein the color pigment is dispersed in the presence of an oleaginous vehicle consisting essentially of a combination of dehydrated castor oil and soya lecithin, and a water-dispersible non-ionic surfactant component which is at least one member of the group of alkylphenoxypolyethanoxyethanols, e.g., Triton 100, and ethylene oxide adducts of sorbitan monoesters of 8 to 18 carbon atom fatty acids, e.g., Tween 81. These color bases are formulated with a hydrocarbon diluent.

While these several types of prior art universal color bases have found commercial acceptance, their performance in tinting both aqueous and non-aqueous coating compositions leaves room for improvement in the direction of achievement of better color development and closer equivalency of color development and compatibility in both aqueous and non-aqueous classes of coating compositions.

It has now been discovered that desirable improvements in universal color bases, particularly in the direction of developing cleaner and brighter colors, are accomplished essentially by preparing a compatible pigment dispersion medium having as essential components thereof an oleaginous component consisting essentially of dehydrated castor oil and a surfactant component consisting essentially of at least one member of the group consisting of (a) an anionic soluble dialkylsulfosuccinate salt and (b) a water-dispersible non-ionic alkylaryloxypolyethanoxyethanol, preferably alkylphenoxypolyethanoxyethanol, dispersing at least one paint pigment in the dispersion medium, and, when the dispersion medium initially contains at least one of the respective surfactant components (a) and (b) in relative proportions outside the weight ratio of 0.15 to 1.5 parts of (a) the anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate salt per part of (b) the non-ionic alkylaryloxypolyethanoxyethanol, adding at least one of the surfactants (a) and (b) to adjust the anionic/nonionic surfactant combination to the indicated relative proportions. Preferably the dispersion medium initially contains the anionic surfactant component (a) and the non-ionic surfactant component (b) within the indicated proportions which exhibit synergistic performance. The dispersion medium and the resulting color base ordinarily contains a compatible volatile liquid organic diluent to provide variations in consistency to accommodate different dispersion techniques and to facilitate easy mixing of the color base into the paint to be tinted. The diluent ordinarily is a hydrocarbon diluent of the type used in paint formulations. The diluent may contain polar solvents, e.g., esters, ketones, alcohols, glycols, glycol ethers, and esters of glycol ethers. Small proportions of water-miscible diluents may be present to advantage. For use with inorganic paint pigments, the oleaginous component of the dispersion medium preferably/consists of the essential dehydrated castor oil in combination with lecithin, e.g., soya lecithin. With organic paint pigments, the oleaginous component preferably is dehydrated castor oil without the lecithin.

The anionic component (a) of the surfactant combination is more specifically defined as a soluble salt of an ester of sulfosuccinic acid. Preferably both carboxyl substituents of the sulfosuccinic acid are esterified with a saturated aliphatic monohydric alcohol which is substantially water-insoluble, the total number of carbon atoms in the ester groups preferably being in the range of 8 to 20. When the esterifying alcohol contains less than 4 carbon atoms per molecule the resulting dialkylsulfosuccinate salts are too water-soluble to be adequately effective as a wetting agent. When the esterifying alcohol contains more than 10 carbon atoms per molecule the resulting dialkylsulfosuccinate salts are ordinarily too insoluble in water to be adequately effective. Dialkylsulfosuccinates are preferred, but sulfosuccinate monoesters of fatty alcohols, e.g., lauryl and oleyl alcohols, are useful and, when present, they are ordinarily in combination with the dialkylsulfosuccinates as the anionic component.

Useful species of the described anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate components are commercially available under the designations: Triton GR5-60% solution, Aerosol OT, Aerosol MA, Aerosol AY and Aerosol IB, which define dialkylsulfosuccinates of C to C alcohols and Aerosol NAL and Aerosol NAO which define monoesters of lauryl alcohol and oleyl alcohol respectively.

Anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate surfactants and their preparation from alpha,beta-monoethylenically unsaturated, alpha,beta-dicarboxylic acids are described in the Encyclopedia of Surface Active Agents, Sisley and Wood 3 (1952), Chemical Publishing Company, Inc., New York, pages 65-66.

Ordinarily, the metal forming the salt of the anionic alkylsulfosuccinate is sodium, but may be potassium or even ammonium ion.

The non-ionic component (b) of the surfactant combination is more specifically defined as an alkylaryloxypolyethanoxyethanol having a hydrophilic/lyophilic balance which preferably favors dispersibility in Water rather than complete solubility in Water. Non-ionic surfactants of this class having dispersibility in water are characterized by the hydrophilic polyethanoxyethanol group having from 6 to about 20 ethanoxy units per molecule, the preferred average number of ethanoxy units per molecule being from 8 to 12. Water-soluble species of the nonionic surfactant may be present in combination with the defined water-dispersible species, but in such mixtures the defined dispersible species preferably constitute at least 50% by weight of the total weight of the non-ionic component (b).

The hydrophilic polyethanoxyethanol group is joined to a lyophilic alkylaryl group through an ether linkage, the aryl portion being preferably phenyl with from 5 to 18 carbon atoms in the aliphatic hydrocarbon substituents thereof. The lyophilic alkylated phenoxy group is preferably characterized by a single alkyl substituent having from 7 to 12 carbon atoms which may be straight chain or branched chain, C and C alkyl substituents in the para position of the alkylphenoxy lyophilic group being especially preferred.

Typically commercially available alkylphenoxypolyethanoxyethanol surfactants useful as the non-ionic surfactant component (b) of the surfactant combination in the practice of this invention are: Triton X-l00, Igepal CO-530, Igepal -630, Igepal CO710, Igepal F, Igepal W, and Emulphor A. Non-ionic surfactants of this class and their preparation are described in the aforementioned Encyclopedia of Surface Active Agents.

Useful combinations of the defined anionic and nonionic surfactants which exhibit improvement over either the anionic or non-ionic component used individually have the tWo components in the proportions of approximately 13 to 60 parts of the anionic component (a) and, complementally, approximately 87 to 40 parts of the non-ionic component (b) for a total of 100 parts by weight of the surfactant mixture (a) plus (b). Relatively, these proportions correspond to the weight ratio of about 0.15 to 1.5 parts of the anionic component (a) per part by weight of the non-ionic component (b). Preferred proportions are in the Weight ratio of 0.3 to 1.2 parts of the anionic component (a) per part by Weight of the non-ionic component (b) Especially suitable combinations of the anionic and non-ionic surfactants consist essentially of approximately 30 to 50 parts of the soluble dialkylsulfosuccinate salt having 6 to 8 carbon atoms in each alkyl substituent thereof and, complementally, about 70 to 50 parts of alkylphenoxypolyethanoxyethanol having 8 to 9 carbon atoms in the alkyl substituent thereof and 8 to 12 ethanoxy units in the hydrophilic polyethanoxyethanol group thereof per 100 parts by weight of the surfactant mixture.

The combination of surfactants ordinarily constitutes approximately 3 to 20% by Weight of the total composition of the universal tinting base. The total surfactant content ordinarily represents a weight ratio of about to 80 parts of the surfactant combination per 100 parts by weight of pigment. Preferably the surfactant ratio is approximately 8 to 60 parts of the surfactant combination per 100 parts of the pigment, the upper portion of the range usually being more applicable to organic pigments and the lower portion of the range usually being more applicable to the more dense inorganic pigments.

Color pigments useful in formulating the universal tinting bases of this invention can be any one of the wide variety of paint pigments ordinarily used in the formulation of drying fatty acid glyceride oil paints, oleoresinous varnishes and enamels, alkyd resin enamels, cellulose nitrate lacquer enamels and latex paints. Utility of the pigment dispersion base as a universal tinting base for tinting aqueous dispersion polymer and latex paint compositions as Well as non-aqueous paints, directs selection of the prime pigment preferably to insoluble, non-reactive pigments which can tolerate the pH range ordinarily found in the respective paint compositions. Latex paint compositions vary widely in pH and may be either significantly alkaline with a pH as high as approximately 9-10 as in the case of casein-containing paints and butadiene/ styrene copolymer latex paints or slightly acidic with a pH as low as about 4 as in the case of some aqueous polyvinylacetate paints.

Preferred color pigments which can be used singly or mixed in varying proportions to provide a satisfactory range of color bases for formulating a gamut of custom colors include red iron oxides, such as Venetian red and Indian red, ferrite yellow, raw and burnt umber, raw and burnt siennas, French ochre, chrome yellow, molybdate Orange, titanium dioxide, lamp black, ultramarine blue, phthalocyanine blue, phthalocyanine green, organic red and maroon pigments and lakes thereof, e.g., manganese BON maroon, toluidine red, naphthol red M, Marcy red, and organic yellow pigments and lakes, e.g., toluidine yellow, Green Gold YT-562-D, and Dalamar azo yell-ow.

Extender pigments may be used in combination with prime color pigments and such combinations are ordinarily used as a dispersion aid and to provide variations in tinting strength. Useful extender pigments include precipitated calcium carbonate, china clay, hydrous aluminum silicate, tales and other finely divided, water-insoluble, chemically inert pigments which contribute substantially no color hiding to the color base.

The extender preferably should have a content no greater than 0.5% of particles which will be retained by a 325 mesh screen. Particularly preferred extender pigments are characterized by an average particle-size diameter about 0.5 micron or less as determined by electron microscope measurements.

Representative useful extender pigments are Surfex precipitated calcium carbonate surface treated with rosin (oil absorption12) and ASP-200 hydrous aluminum silicate (oil absorption-38 to 40). The latter is further characterized by a coarseness specification of 99.5% having a particle-size diameter of less than 3.5 microns.

In universal tinting bases of high tinting strength, the pigment composition ordinarily is composed of a pre dominant proportion or entirely of one or a mixture of prime color paint pigments. These high color strength tinting bases may include a small proportion of paint extender pigment, the primary fuction of Which is for color strength adjustment-of the tinting base to match established reference standards. The proportion of extender for this purpose ordinarily is from 0.02 to 0.1 part per part by weight of the prime color pigment. In some instances this small proportion of extender pigment advantageously functions also as a dispersion aid.

In tinting bases of reduced tinting strength Which are particularly useful in preparing light tints or colors, the pigment composition ordinarily is composed of one or more prime color paint pigments extended with a substantial proportion of fine particle-size paint extender pigment, preferably a precipitated calcium carbonate extender pigment, an aluminum silicate clay, or a mixture thereof. The pigment composition of the reduced strength tinting bases ordinarily includes a proportion of paint extender pigment at least equal to 0.5 part of the extender pigment per part by weight of the prime color paint pigment. In providing a wide range in color strength of the extended color bases, it is practical for the proportion of extender to be as high as 50 parts extender pigment per part by weight of prime color paint pigment.

The total pigment content of the universal tinting base ordinarily is in the range of 5% to 75% by weight of the composition, the proportion of organic pigment usually being no greater than about 35%.

The oleaginous vehicle of the pigmented color base, the primary function of which is to Wet the pigment, consists essentially of dehydrated castor oil. Dehydrated castor oil consists essentially of a mixture of 9,12-octadecadienoic acid triester of glycerol, 9,1l-octadecadienoic acid triester of glycerol, and a minor proportion of undehydrated castor oil, i.e., ricinoleic acid (l2-hydroxy-9- octadecenoic acid) triester of glycerol. The dehydrated castor oil preferably is unbodied, ordinarily having a viscosity of about G to I by Gardner-Holdt method at 25 C., and is characterized by an iodine number (Wijs) of about 130 to 145. Dehydrated castor oil of this quality is commercially available under the trademarks Isoline, Dehydrol, Synthenol and Castung #403. Mediumto-heavy bodied dehydrated castor oil can be substituted in part or entirely for the preferred unbodied grade in the practice of the invention. Typical commercial medium body grade dehydrated castor oil is characterized by a viscosity of about U to V (Gardner-Holdt) and an iodine number of 120 to 130. Typical heavy body grade is characterized by a viscosity of Z to Z (Gardner-Holdt) and an iodine number of 112 to 118.

While the dehydrated castor oil functions adequately as the sole component of the oleaginous vehicle, improved wetting of inorganic pigments is accomplished when the oleaginous vehicle consists essentially of lecithin in combination with the dehydrated castor oil. The inorganic pigmented color bases can have lecithin, e.g., commercial soya lecithin, present in proportions up to 150 parts per 100 parts of the dehydrated castor oil. Preferably these inorganic pigmented color bases contain at least parts of the lecithin on the indicated basis. The organic pigmented color bases preferably do not contain lecithin in the oleaginous vehicle. However, the organic pigmented color bases will tolerate the presence of the lecithin in the oleaginous vehicle in which the dehydrated castor oil is the preponderant component, the proportion of lecithin being desirably no greater than about 50 parts per 100 parts.

The principal source of lecithin is from soya bean oil, i.e., soya lecithin. The composition of commercial soya lecithin is approximately two-thirds by weight of a complex mixture of phosphatides, phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamine and one-third of fatty monocarboxylic acid triesters of glycerol which are found in soya bean oil. The composition of soya lecithin and specifications of commercial grades are described in detail in The Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York, volume 8, pages 309 to 325.

The term soya lecithin as used throughout the specification refers to the commercial grade which includes approximately one-third soya bean oil. More specifically, the term refers to commercial soya lecithin having a content of acetone-insolubles of 60% to 70% by weight identified as lecithin, the balance which is soluble in acetone being the glyceride oil. This quality of material is available commercially under several different trademarks as well as under the name soya lecithin.

Lecithin is also available from other sources, such as from egg yolk and maize germ, as an oil-free product. Lecithin from these other sources can be substituted for the lecithin content of the commercial soya lecithin.

As indicated, commercial soya lecithin ordinarily contains glycerol triesters of the fatty acids ordinarily present in soya bean oil. Small proportions of these glycerol esters can be present in the oleaginous vehicle in combination with the dehydrated castor oil in the absence of the phosphatides of the lecithin without detriment. The

glycerol esters of the fatty acids ordinarily found in other drying oils, e.g., linseed oil, chinawood-tung oil, and cottonseed oil, can also be present in the oleaginous vehicle. These fatty acid esters can be present also in the form of long oil length fatty acid modified alkyd resins of the glyceryl phthalate and pentaerythritol phthalate type. Blown or bodied oils are less effective than the untreated ancillary esters. These fatty acid esters ordinarily are not the equivalent of dehydrated castor oil for wetting the pigment and the proportion of these ancillary oleaginous fatty acid esters preferably does not exceed about 35 parts per parts by Weight of the dehydrated castor oil.

The content of oleaginous vehicle in the universal color base ordinarily is in the range of approximately 5% to 45% of the entire composition. Proportions lower than 5% ordinarily do not provide adequate wetting of the pigment and ordinarily no advantages are recognized in using proportions of dehydrated castor oil or mixed oleaginous vehicle in excess of 45%. On a relative basis, the proportion of oleaginous vehicel may range up to 200 parts per 100 parts by weight of pigment when the pigment is of the organic type non-extended. With the inorganic pigments, extended inorganic pigments and extended organic pigments, the proportion of oleaginous vehicle usually is in the range of 5 to about 100 parts per 100 parts by weight of the pigment. With dense pigments, such as lead chromate, having a relatively low surface area per unit weight, the relative proportion of oleaginous vehicle is at the low side of the range and, conversely, less dense pigments and extended pigments having a relatively high surface area per unit weight ordinarily require a relative proportion of oleaginous vehicle at the high side of the range.

The universal color base composition ordinarily c0ntains a compatible volatile liquid organic diluent to provide the composition with fluidity and to provide for adjustment in viscosity. The diluent preferably is substantially water-insoluble, hydrocarbon diluents being especially suitable. Preferred diluents consist essentially of one or more hydrocarbon fractions of the type ordinarily used in paint, enamel and lacquer formulation. The solvency of these hydrocarbon diluents, as characterized by the aniline point, can very widely providing the diluent is compatible with the composition and does not cause phase separation of the surfactants. When the proportion of hydrocarbon diluent is small, the hydrocarbon ordinarily can be of the aliphatic class as the small content of this hydrocarbon introduced into the tinted paint is not sulficient to significantly disturb the solvent balance.

When the proportion of hydrocarbon diluent is large, the hydrocarbon preferably is an aromatic hydrocarbon or a high solvency petroleum hydrocarbon fraction characterized by a significant aromatic content. Practical hydrocarbon fractions useful as the diluent have an initial boiling point of at least 100 C. and a boiling end point preferably no greater than 250 C. Toluol, xylol or any of the commercially available high solvency petroleum fractions conforming to the indicated boiling range and having an aniline point up to about 15 C. can be used as the aromatic hydrocarbon diluent. The aliphatic hydrocarbon diluent can be V.M. & P. naphtha, mineral spirits, odorless. mineral spirits, and other fractions meeting the indicated boiling range.

In the examples which follow, the diluent in most instances is odorless mineral spirits or a mixture thereof with a high solvency petroleum diluent. Such hydrocarbon diluents are characterized as follows:

HIGH SOLVENCY PETROLEUM DILUENT Distillation range (ASTMD8652):

Initial boiling point C. min. End point C. max. 223 Aniline point C About 4 Specific gravity at 25 C 0.847 to 0.866

7] ODORLESS MINERAL SPIRITS Distillation range (ASTM-D-86-52) Initial boiling point "C. 170-180 50% C. 178-188 End point C. 201-210 Aniline point C. 81-88 Specific gravity at 25 C 0.745 to 0.766

The diluent can include a small proportion of a compatible volatile polar organic solvent, such as alcohols, esters, ketones, and ether alcohols ordinarily used in coating compositions, without adversely afiecting the quality or performance of the product. Species of these polar solvents may be water-miscible and as a result of this miscibility enhance the dispersibility of the universal color base in aqueous latex paints. The presence of watermiscible solvents in the diluent increases the tolerance of the diluent for water. Ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, monoethyl and monobutyl ethers of ethylene glycol, diacetone alcohol, acetone and isopropanol are typical water-miscible solvents which can be used as diluent components. Compatible proportions of water can be present in the organic diluent. The presence of water or mixtures of Water and Water-miscible polar solvent in the diluent aids in solubilizing the anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate salt surfactant. This surfactant salt is sometimes conveniently supplied as a concentrated liquid solution in an aqueous polar solvent, e.g., Triton GR is a 60% solution in aqueous isopropanol. Ordinarily, the proportion of polar solvent does not exceed about 50 parts per 100 parts by weight of the total diluent.

Universal color bases for dispensing through a small orifice of a paint measuring device, color matching ma chine, or from the mouth of a tube package having a prescribed volume of the color base ordinarily have a minimum total non-volatile content of approximately 50% by weight. The inorganic pigmented color bases ordinarily have a total non-volatile content of at least 65%. At least 3% of the volatile diluent is ordinarily present in the color base compositions although the compositions can be entirely free of volatile diluent when the content of the liquid oleaginous vehicle is high. The total content of oleaginous vehicle, volatile diluent, and surfactant combination must be in excess of that required to satisfy the absorption characteristics of the pigment composition, the amount in excess of this requirement being suflicient to thin the dispersion to a fluid composition which is easily dispensed through an orifice and easily distributed or mixed in the paint composition to be tinted therewith. These color bases are also useful as pigmented intermediates for commercial use in the paint plant for tinting standard colors, such as a standard white, to provide pastel and light colors. In such eom mercial use where the processing equipment is heavy duty and batches represent larger volumes than are used in distributor color mixing machines, standardization of the composition as to non-volatile content and viscosity is of less significance.

In preparing the universal color base, the pigment composition is mixed with the oleaginous vehicle combined with the surfactant and the diluent, if present, and dispersed therein by any one of the ordinary dispersion techniques used in dispersing or wetting pigment with oil in paint manufacture, e.g., by milling on a 3 or 5 roll mill, ball milling, stone milling, mixing in a W. & P. mixer or by sand grinding as described in U.S. Patent 2,581,414.

Universal color bases having a plurality of prime color pigments in the respective compositions can be prepared by either dispersing the pigment mixture in the oleaginous vehicle in the presence of the surfactants or by mixing appropriate proportions of the respective preformed universal color bases, each formulated with a single prime color paint pigment. The latter procedure is preferred as it provides for compensating adjustments in composition in matching an established standard color. These prime color bases can be mixed with a color base extender composition in which the pigment composition contains one or more extender pigments, with no prime color pigment, to reduce the strength of the tinting color base to any desired level or to match the strength of an established standard. Uniformity of color and strength is particularly important when the color bases are volumetricaliy or gravimetrically dispensed from a color matching device keyed to match established reference colors.

The color bases ordinarily are packed for consumer use in tubes of unit size of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 fluid ounces, the latter volume being primarily for tinting a gallon quantity of the base paint and the small units for tinting a quart of the base paint. Addition of 4 fluid ounces of the color base to a gallon of base paint or 1 fluid ounce per quart corresponds to the color base constituting about 3% of the tinted paint. At this concentration and up to several times this concentration as used in deep tints, such as for example the proportion of 28 volume parts of base white paint and 4 volume parts of color base, the proportion of non-pigmcntary components, i.e., the oleaginous vehicle, the surfactant combination, and diluent introduced into the tinted paint are adequately dispersible in the aqueous and non-aqueous paint compositions and exhibit no adverse effects on the qualtiy or performance of the liquid paint or the dry paint coating obtained therefrom.

The unique combination of the defined anionic and non-ionic surfactants and the oleaginous vehicle produce improved color development when the universal color bases are added in the aforementioned proportions to commercial tinting white paints and other light colored paints of various types including organic solvent-based formulations and aqueous latex formulations.

The following examples serve to illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention. All percentages and parts are expressed on a weight basis unleg otherwise designated.

Examples Dehydrated Castor Oil 36. O 30.0 30. O Soya Bean Oil 6.0 Linseed Oil 6.0 Anionic Surfactant Triton GR-5 60% Solution in Aqueous Isopropanol 5 0 5.0 5.0 Non-ionic Surfactant Triton Xl0O 4. 5 4. 5 4. 5 Mineral SpiritsO dorless 39. 5 39. 5 39. 5 Dalamar Azo Yellow Pigment YT7l7D 15 0 15. 0 l5. 0

Total Parts by Weight 100. 0 100. 0 100. 0

The dehydrated castor oil is commercially available,

unbodied grade having a viscosity of G to H and an iodine number of 135 to 145.

The soya bean oil is varnish grade which is commercially available from numerous suppliers as alkali-refined soya bean oil.

The linseed oil is varnish grade which is commercially available from numerous suppliers as either varnish linseed oil or alkali-refined linseed oil.

The anionic surfactant content of Triton GR-5 is dioctylsulfosuccinate sodium salt in solution in aqueous isopropanol. The non-ionic surfactant Triton X- is octylphenoxypolyethanoxyethanol having an average of 9 to 10 ethanoxy units per molecule.

The odorless mineral spirits are as heretofore characterized. Ordinary mineral spirits, high solvency naphthas, xylol, toluol or other hydrocarbon diluents usually found in paint formulations can be substituted directly for the indicated odorless mineral spirits.

The respective compositions are premixed and the pigment in the respective mixtures is dispersed therein by 9 sand grinding following the teachings of U.S. Patent 2,581,414.

In Examples 1, la and 1b the relative proportion of total surfactant is 50 parts per 100 parts of pigment, the relative proportion of anionic surfactant being 20 parts and the relative proportion of non-ionic surfactant being 30 parts per 100 parts of the pigment. The weight ratio of the anionic surfactant to the non-ionic surfactant is 0.67.

A series of comparative Dalamar yellow color bases is prepared having a formulation equivalent to that of Example 1 except that the anionic surfactant is omitted and the content of the non-ionic surfactant is varied in the proportions of 20, 30, 50, 75 and 100 parts per 100 parts of the azo yellow pigment.

Another series of comparative color bases is prepared having a formulation similar to that of Example 1 except that the non-ionic surfactant is omitted and the anionic surfactant is varied from 10 to 50 parts of the anionic surfactant per 100 parts by weight of the azo yellow pigment.

The resulting respective color base compositions are added and mixed with a drying-oil-based white paint, a drying-oil-modified alkyd-resinbased white paint, a white aqueous emulsion paint based on a butadiene-styrene latex, i.e., white Flow Kote paint and a white aqueous emulsion paint based on polyvinyl acetate emulsion, i.e., white vinyl masonry paint. The mixing proportions are 4 fluid ounces of the yellow color base per 28 fluid ounces of the respective white paints. The Example 1 formulation exhibits the best color development and compatibility in all four types of paint and is rated excellent for both aqueous and non-aqueous paints. The Examples 1a and 1b color bases are rated excellent in the solventbased paints and good in the aqueous emulsion paints. The comparative yellow color bases exhibit good-to-excellent color development in solvent-based paints, but poor-to-fair color development and compatibil ity in the aqueous latex paints. These results show that the performance of the combination of the non-ionic surfactant and the soluble dialkylsulfosuccinate salt is significantly better than either of the components singly in Example 2 Parts by weight Dehydrated castor oil 24.0 Soya lecithin 12.0 Anionic surfactant Triton GR-60% 5.0 Non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 4.5

Mineral spiritsodorless 39.5 Dalamar azo yellow pigment 15.0

The components of this color base are the same as those specified in Example 1 except that soya lecithin is added to provide a mixed oleaginous vehicle of the type specified in the invention described in copending Seeker U.S. patent application, Serial No. 765,738, filed October 7, 1958, now U.S. Patent 2,996,397. The performance of this color base is rated second to that of Example 1 and about comparable with that of Examples 1a and 1b.

Examples Dehydrated Castor Oil 7. 1 3. 9 9.0 Soya Lecithim 5. 7 3. 1 7. 2 Anionic Surfactant Triton GR-5 10.4 5. 7 13.1 Non-ionie Surfactant Triton X 6.2 3. 4 7.8 High Solvency Petroleum Diluent. 16.0 6. 3 14. 5 Mineral Spirits 2. 6 5. 9 Iron Oxide Pigment Mapico Red 516 Dark. 44. 3 Iron Oxide Pigment Kroma Red RO-S097. 75.0 Iron Oxide Pigment Kroma Red R03087 42. 5 Aluminum Silicate Pigment Extender ASP-200 5.0 Calcium Carbonate Pigment Extender Surtex 5. 3

Total Parts by Weight 100. 0 100. 0 100. 0

The high solvency diluent is as heretofore described.

In the respective compositions of Examples 3 and 4, the non-pigment portions are charged on an L-shaped 3-roll mill to mix the components and then the respective pigments are added thereto and dispersed by milling for about 15 minutes.

The Example 5 composition is prepared by premixing the components and then dispersing the pigment in the mixture by sand grinding for about 20 minutes.

All three of the resulting iron oxide color bases exhibit excellent color development and compatibility in aqueous latex paints as well as in non-aqueous paints when tinted in the proportions of 6 ounces of color base per 28 fluid ounces of white paint, i.e., a White emulsion house paint formulated with a terpolymer of methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate and methacrylic acid, a white polyvinyl acetate emulsion masonry paint and a linseed oil-based white house paint.

The Example 3 composition contains extender pigments with the iron oxide pigment to improve the dispersibility of the iron oxide pigment. The Example 4 color base is a dispersion of iron oxide pigment at a high concentration which is operable on a rolling mill and the Example 5 composition is a dispersion of iron oxide at a concentration which is suitably operable by the sand grinding dispersion technique.

Example 6 An iron oxide color base, identical with that of Example 3 of copending Seeker U.S. patent application, Serial No. 765,738, filed October 7, 1958, now U.S. Patent 2,996,397, is initially prepared as a comparative color base having the following composition:

Parts by weight Dehydrated castor oil 8.6 Soya lecithin 9.2 Non-ionic Triton X-100 7.5 Mineral spirits 15.8 Iron oxide pigment Mapico red 43.9 Surfex calcium carbonate extender pigment 15.0

This composition is divided into several portions. To

one portion is added and mixed therein the anionic surfactant Triton GR-5, i.e., 60% solution of dioctylsulfosuccinate salt, in the proportion of 5 parts of the solution per 100 parts by weight of the color base to provide composition Example 6. To a second portion, the Triton GR5 is added in the proportion of 10 parts per 100 parts of the color base to provide Example 6a composition. To a third portion, the Triton GR-S is added in the proportion of 15 parts per 100 parts of the color base to provide Example 6b composition. A fourth portion is reserved as comparative color base A.

Another comparative color base B is prepared with a composition similar to that of the comparative color base A except using anionic Triton GR in place of the non-ionic Triton X-l00. To a portion of 100 parts of this color base containing the anionic surfactant is added 7.5 parts of the non-ionic Triton X-lOO to provide Example 6c composition.

The respective resulting iron oxide color bases, i.e., Examples 6, 6a, 6b, 6c and comparative color bases A and B, are mixed with an aqueous latex white house paint, i.e., Du Pont #50 white house paint, having an interpolymer of methyl methacrylate and ethyl acrylate as the film-forming component, in the proportions of 6 ounces of the color base per 28 fluid ounces of the latex white paint. The comparative color bases yield red tinted paints which when dry exhibit a blue undertone and muddy appearance, indicating poor color development. The dry paints from the latex paint tinted with the color bases containing the anionic dioctylsulfosuccinate salt in combination with the non-ionic surfactant exhibit a significant reduction in the muddy appearance, i.e., they are cleaner and less hazy. The presence of the anionic surfactant produces a shift from the blue undertone to a cleaner red color. While this shift is noticeable with the use of the color base containing 5 parts of Triton GR-S, i.e., 3 parts of the anionic surfactant as in Example 6, the shift in undertone is more pronounced when the color base contains 4.5 parts of the anionic surfactant as in Example 60 and 6 parts as in Example 6a. Use of the color base containing 9 parts of the anionic surfactant as in Example 6b produces only a small further improvement over the significant improvement resulting from the use of the color base containing the 6 parts of anionic surfactant as in Example 6a.

Example 7 First portion: Parts by Weight Dehydrated castor oil 36.5 Soya lecithin 4.2 Non-ionic surfactant Triton X-l00 6.7 Inhibitor solution-l0% thymol in mineral spirits 0.5 Second portion:

Burnt umber pigment 52.1

100.0 Third portion:

Anionic surfactant Triton GR-S 60% solution 5.0

The first portion is mixed 15 minutes on an L-shaped, three-roll mill and then the pigment of the second portion is added and milled in the first portion for about one hour. The anionic surfactant, i.e., the third portion is mixed with the dispersed first and second portions.

Example 7a is prepared in an identical manner, using 10 parts of the anionic surfactant as the third portion.

Example 712 having a composition identical with that of Example 7a is prepared by initially combining the first and third portions and then dispersing the pigment there- Examples 7c and 7d are prepared by substituting raw umber for the burnt umber in Examples 7 and 7b respectively.

The color base having the composition of the combined first and second portions of Example 7 using raw umber as the pigment is essentially equivalent to the composition of Example 7 in Secker, Serial No. 765,738, now U.S. Patent 2,996,397. This latter composition and the corresponding composition based on burnt umber are used as comparative compositions which do not contain the anionic component.

The respective color bases are mixed with a commercial white vinyl masonry paint and a commercial white sealer paint, each paint being based on aqueous polyvinyl acetate emulsion, in the proportions of 4 ounces of the color bases per 28 fluid ounces of the paints.

All the color bases of Example 7 exhibit color development in the aqueous paints improved over that exhibited by the comparative raw umber and burnt umber color bases. This improvement is more pronounced with Examples 7a, 7b and 7a. In this series Example 712 exhibits an improvement over Example 7a although the compositions are identical, the difference being that in Example 7b the pigment is dispersed in the presence of both the anionic surfactant and the non-ionic surfactant in contrast with dispersing the pigment in the presence of the nonionic surfactant and subsequently adding the anionic surfactant as in Example 7a.

Dispersion mediums for dispersing organic pigments are prepared, having the following compositions:

In Example 8, the weight ratio of anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate salt is 0.71 part per part of the non-ionic octyl phenoxypolyethanoxyethanol and in Example 8a the weight ratio is 1.42 parts of the anionic surfactant per part of the non-ionic surfactant. Correspondingly, the weight proportion of the anionic component based on the combination of surfactants is 41.5% and 58.5% in Examples 8 and 8a respectively.

The following organic pigments are dispersed in these dispersion mediums in the indictaed proportions:

Example 8b.24.4 parts of phthalocyanine green, i.e., Monastral Green GT-674D pigment, and 4.9 parts of Surfex calcium carbonate are dispersed in 70.7 parts of the Example 8 dispersion medium.

Example 8c.-The same pigments in the same proportions are dispersed in the Example 8a dispersion medium.

Example 8d.16.7 parts of phthalocyanine blue, i.e., Ramapo Blue FR pigment, and 212.7 parts of Surfex calcium carbonate are dispersed in 60.6 parts of the Example 8 dispersion medium.

Example 8e.The same pigments in the same proportions are dispersed in the Example 8a dispersion medium.

Example 8f.-15 parts of toluidine red pigment are dispersed in parts of the Example 8 dispersion medium.

Example 8g.21 parts of American Cyanamids Naphthol Red M-20-7515 are dispersed in 79 parts of the Example 8 dispersion medium.

Example 8h.15 parts of Imperials Empress Yellow X2846 are dispersed in 85 parts of the Example 8 dispersion medium.

These respective color bases let down into oil paints, alkyd resin-based paints and latex paints having butadiene/styrene copolyrner, polyvinyl acetate, and acrylic copolymer resins as the respective film-forming materials all yield improved color development over comparative color bases in which the dialkylsulfosuccinate salt is absent. While the Example 8a dispersion medium ordinarily does not provide significant improvement over the Example 8 dispersion medium in referenec to color development and compatibility of the resulting color bases, this dispersion medium in some instances provides other advantages over the Example 8 medium in reference to dispersing the pigments by one or more of the ordinary dispersion techniques.

While these examples show single prime color pigments or such pigments in combination with an extender pigment, e.g., Surfex calcium carbonate or aluminum silicate, the pigment can consist of one or more prime color pigments to obtain other color bases. The strength of the color bases can be adjusted to standardized strengths by addition of an adjusting base having extender pigment dispersed in an appropriate dispersion medium. The following compositions are typical of such an adjusting base:

Example 9 Parts by weight Dehydrated castor oil 8 Anionic Triton GR-60% Non-ionic Triton X-100 6 Mineral spirits 5 High solvency petroleum diluent 5 Aluminum silicate pigment extender 33 Surfex calcium carbonate pigment 33 Example 9a is essentially the same as Example 9 except that soya lecithin is substituted for 4 parts of the dehydrated castor oil to provide 8 parts of oleaginous vehicle having the dehydrated castor oil and soya lecithin in equal proportions.

These adjusting bases are ordinarily interchangeable. Usual adjusting proportions of these bases do not significantly alter the relative proportions of the oleaginous vehicle or the relative proportions of the anionic and nonionic component surfactants of the resulting adjusted color base. The Example 9 adjusting base is preferably used in combination with the organic color bases which ordinarily and preferably do not include the soya lecithin. The Example 9a adjusting base is preferably used in combination with the inorganic color bases which preferably have a combination of dehydrated castor oil and soya lecithin as the oleaginous vehicle.

The following example is representative of a highly extended phthalocyanine color base prepared by addition of the essential di-alkylsulfosuccinate to a mixture of a Monastral phthalocyanine color base and an extender pigment base typical of the aforementioned Seeker application.

Example 10 First portion: Parts by weight Dehydrated castor oil 3.6 Soya lecithin 3.6 Non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 11.6 Mineral spirits-odorless 6.4 High solvency petroleum diluent 5.2 Surf-ex calcium carbonate extender 35.0 Aluminum silicate ASP"20O 34.6

Extender base 100.0 88.3 Second portion:

Seeker Example ll-phthalocyanine color base 8.7 (Third portion:

Anionic surfactant Triton GR5-60% solution in 50% aqueous isopropanol 3.0

The first portion is separately prepared by dispersing the mixture of extenders in the dispersion medium. This base is similar to Seeker Example 15. The second pop tion is mixed with the completed first portion, and the third portion is mixed thereafter with the composite mixture. The resulting composition contains 1.8 parts of the anionic surfactant and about 11.1 parts of the nonionic surfactant, i.e., a weight ratio of about 0.16 part of the dialkylsulfosuccinate per part of the alkylphenoxypolyethanoxyethanol.

This extended color base exhibits improved color development and improved compatibility in alkyd resin enamels and water-based paints in comparison with the extended color base resulting from the combination of the first and second portions of Example 10 having no anionic component present therein. Further improvement is detected when the relative proportion of the anionic component is increased to 0.31 part per part of the nonionic component.

The color bases as represented by the above-described examples are readily dispersed in ordinary commercially available oil paints, alkyd resin enamels, oleoresinous enamels, cellulose nitrate enamels, butadiene/ styrene copolymer latex paints, acrylic resin copolymer aqueous dispersion paints and polyvinyl acetate emulsion paints by simple stirring until the liquid color base was uniformly distributed throughout the tinted product. The paint coatings dried from the respective compositions are free from pigment agglomeration, color streaking and any evidence of incompatibility of the non-pigmentary components. Colors established in the non-aqueous paint lines are easily and closely matched in the aqueous dispersion paint lines. The color bases added in ordinary proportions to gloss paint compositions show no signifi-cant alteration in gloss. Color base added to fiat paint compositions in ordinary proportions show no significant eefrect on sheen with light tints. A slight glossing effect may be observed with deep tints using color bases having a high content of the oleaginous vehicle. Sheen alteration can be minimized by using extended color bases in which the vehicle content is relatively lower.

Ordinary proportions of the color bases added to the respective white base paints do not significantly alter the drying rate or the sag resistance. High proportions of color base added to alkyd resin enamel base may produce a slight retarding of the drying in comparison with the untinted base.

Presence of the indicated surfactant combination in the tinted paints does not detectably alter the adhesion of the respective tinted paints to the ordinary substrates. Furthermore, the tinted paints are as scrubbable as the untinted base paints when scrubbed with an aqueous 5% solution of tri-sodium phosphate and when washed with soap or cleaned with scouring powder to remove stains such as ink, #2 soft lead pencil and China Marking Red 169T crayon.

The color bases stored in sealed containers in a F. oven remain stable for at least two months without settling or pigment separation. Shelf storage of the color bases at room temperature of about 77 F. shows commercially acceptable stability for the compositions. There is no indication of impairment of the ability of the color bases to develop the desired color as a result of shelf or oven storage.

While the above disclosures represents only a few embodiments of the products of this invention, it is apparent that many widely different embodiments thereof can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and, therefore, is intended not to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

"1. A universal tinting color base consisting essentially of (A) an oleaginous medium consisting essentially of dehydrated castor oil, (B) at least one dispersed paint pigment, and (C) a combination of surfactants consisting essentially of (a) a soluble anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate salt having from 4 to 10 carbon atoms in each alkyl substituent thereof, the cation of said salt being selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and ammonium, and (b) a water-dispersible non-ionic alkylarylpolyethanoxyethanol having 5 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl substituents joined to the aromatic ring thereof and having from about 6 to about 20 ethanoxy units per molecule, in the weight ratio of about 0.15 to 1.5 parts of said anionic component (a) per part by weight 3'; of said non-ionic component (b), said surfactant com bination (C) being present in the proportion of from about 3% to about 20% by Weight of the color base composition.

2. A universal color base composition of claim 1 wherein said oleaginous medium (A) consists essentially of dehydrated castor oil in combination with soya lecithin in the proportion of to 150 parts of soya lecithin per 100 parts by weight of the dehydrated castor oil.

3. A universal color base composition of claim 1 which further contains (D) a compatible volatile liquid organic diluent in a proportion up to about 50% by weight of the color base composition.

4. A universal color base composition of claim 3 wherein said diluent consists essentially of a hydrocarbon diluent.

5. A universal color base composition of claim 4 having said hydrocarbon diluent in combination with a compatible polar organic solvent in the proportion of up to 50 parts of the polar solvent per 100 parts by weight of total diluent.

6. A color base composition of claim 1 wherein said surfactant combination (C) consists essentially of 0.3 to 1.2 parts of (a) a soluble anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate salt having from 6 to 8 carbon atoms in each alkyl substituent thereof per part by Weight of (b) a non-ionic alkylphenoxypolyethanoxyethanol having 8 to 9 carbon atoms in the alkyl substituent thereof and 8 to 12 ethanoxy units per molecule.

7. A color base composition of claim 1 wherein said non-ionic surfactant (b) is an alkylphenoxypolyethanoxyethanol having 5 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl substituent thereof and 6 to 20 ethanoxy units per molecule, the proportion of said surfactant combination (C) being from about 5 to about 80 parts per 100 parts by Weight of total pigment.

8. A universal tinting color base composition consisting essentially of (A) dehydrated castor oil, (B) an insoluble organic paint pigment, (C) a surfactant combination consisting essentially of (a) a soluble anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate salt having from 4 to 10 carbon atoms in each of the alkyl substituents thereof, the cation of said salt being selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and ammonium, and (b) a Water-dispersible non-ionic alkylphenoxypolyethanoxyethanol having from 5 to 18 carbon atoms in the aliphatic hydrocarbon substituents joined to the benzene ring and from 6 to 20 ethanoxy units per molecule, the Weight ratio of said anionic component being from 0.15 to 1.5 parts per part of said non-ionic component, and (D) a compatible volatile organic diluent consisting essentially of a hydrocarbon diluent, said essential components being present in the following proportions: (A) dehydrated castor oil-5 to 45%, (B) organic pigment5% to 35%, (C) said surfactant combination3% to 20%, and (D) said organic diluent3% to 50%, said percentages being based on the total weight of the color base composition.

9. A universal tinting color base composition consisting essentially of (A) an oleaginous medium consisting essentially of dehydrated castor oil in combination with soya lecithin in the proportions of 10 to 150 parts of soya lecithin per 100 parts by weight of the dehydrated castor oil, (B) at least one inorganic paint pigment, (C) a surfactant combination consisting essentially of (a) a soluble anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate salt having from 4 to 10 carbon atoms in each of the alkyl substituents thereof, the cation of said salt being selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and ammonium, and (b) a water-dispersible non-ionic alkylphenoxypolyethanoxyetha- 1101 having from 5 to 18 carbon atoms in the aliphatic hydrocarbon substituents joined to the benzene ring and from 6 to 20 ethanoxy units per molecule, the weight ratio of said anionic component being from 0.15 to 1.5 parts per part of said non-ionic component, and (D) a compatible volatile organic diluent consisting essentially of a hydrocarbon diluent, said essential components being present in the following proportions: (A) said oleaginous medium consisting essentially of dehydrated castor oil and soya lecithin5% to 45%, (B) inorganic pigment5% to (C) said surfactant combination3% to 20%, and (D) said volatile organic diluent-3% to 35%, said ercentages being based on the total weight of the color base composition.

10. A dispersion medium for dispersing paint pigments in the preparation of universal tinting color bases consisting essentially of (A) an oleaginous component consisting essentially of dehydrated castor oil and 0 to 150 parts of soya lecithin per 100 parts by Weight of dehydrated castor oil, (C) a surfactant combination consisting essentially of (a) a soluble anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate salt and (b) a water-dispersible non-ionic alkylphenoxypolyethanoxyethanol in the proportion of 0.15 to 1.5 parts of said anionic component (a) per part by weight of said nonionic component (b), and (D) a compatible volatile organic diluent consisting essentially of a hydrocarbon diluent, said anionic surfactant component (a) having from 4 to 10 carbon atoms in each of the alkyl substituents thereof, the cation of said salt being selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and ammonium, and said non-ionic surfactant component (b) having 5 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl substituents joined to the benzene ring thereof and having from 6 to 20 ethanoxy units per molecule, said oleaginous component and said surfactant combination being in proportions which provide, when combined with 100 parts by Weight of a paint pigment (B), from 5 to 200 parts of said oleaginous component (A) and 5 to parts of said surfactant combination (C).

11. A dispersion medium of claim 10, especially adapted for dispersing insoluble organic pigment in the preparation of universal color bases, wherein said oleaginous component (A) consists essentially of dehydrated castor oil, and said surfactant combination (C) consists essentially of (a) said soluble anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate salt having 6 to 8 carbon atoms in each alkyl substituent thereof and (b) said non-ionic surfactant having 7 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl substituent thereof and 8 to 12 ethanoxy units per molecule, the weight ratio of (a) being from about 0.3 to about 1.2 parts of (a) anionic surfactant per part of (b) non-ionic surfactant.

12. A dispersion medium of claim 10, especially adapted for dispersing insoluble inorganic paint pigment in the preparation of universal color bases, wherein said oleaginous component (A) consists essentially of a mixture of dehydrated castor oil and 10 to 150 parts of soya lecithin per parts by weight of the dehydrated castor oil, and said surfactant combination (C) consists essentially of (a) said soluble anionic dialkylsulfosuccinate salt having 6 to 8 carbon atoms in each alkyl substituent thereof and (b) said non-ionic surfactant having 7 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl substituent thereof and 8 to 12 ethanoxy units per molecule, the weight ratio of (a) being from about 0.3 to about 1.2 parts of (a) anionic surfactant per part of (b) non-ionic surfactant.

13. A universal color base composition consisting essentially of at least one insoluble organic paint pigment in dispersed state and a dispersion medium therefor as defined by claim 11, said anionic surfactant component (a) being dioctylsulfosuccinate sodium salt and said nonionic surfactant (b) being octylphenoxypolyethanoxyethanol, said organic pigment being present in an amount up to 50% by weight of the color base composition.

14. A universal color base composition consisting essentially of at least one insoluble inorganic paint pigment in dispersed state and a dispersion medium therefor as defined by claim 12, said anionic surfactant component (a) being dioctylsulfosuccinate sodium salt and said nonionic surfactant (b) being octylphenoxypolyethanoxyetha- I101, said inorganic pigment Being present in an amount up to 75% by weight of the color base composition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/55 Erickson.

10/57 Willis et al. 106-308 3/59 Willis 1063080 8/61 Seeker 106--265 10 18 OTHER REFERENCES Caryl et al., Ind. Eng. Chem., 1939, vol. 31, pages 44-47.

Swartz et 211., Surface Active Agents, 1949, page 100, Intel-science Publishers Inc.

ALEXANDER H. BRODMERKEL, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH REBOLD, JOHN R. SPECK, MORRIS LIEB- MAN, Examiners. 

1. A UNIVERSAL TINTING COLOR BASE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF (A) AN OLEAGINOUS MEDIUM CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF DEHYDRATED CASTOR OIL, (B) AT LEAST ONE DISPERSED PAINT PIGMENT, AND (C) A COMBINATION OF SURFACTANTS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF (A) A SOLUBLE ANIONIC DIALKYLSULFOSUCCINATE SALT HAVING FROM 4 TO 10 CARBON ATOMS IN EACH ALKYL SUBSTITUENT THEREOF, THE CATION OF SAID SALT BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SODIUM, POTASSIUM AND AMMONIUM, AND (B) A WATER-DISPERSIBLE NON-IONIC ALKYLARYLPOLYETHANOXYETHANOL HAVING 5 TO 18 CARBON ATOMS IN THE ALKYL SUBSTITUENTS JOINED TO THE AROMATIC RING THEREOF AND HAVING FROM ABOUT 6 TO ABOUT 20 ETHANOXY UNITS PER MOLECULE, IN THE WEIGHT RATIO OF ABOUT 0.15 TO 1.5 PARTS OF SAID ANIONIC COMPONENT (A) PER PART BY WEIGHT OF SAID NON-IONIC COMPONENT (B), SAID SURFACTANT COMBINATION (C) BEING PRESENT IN THE PROPORTION OF FROM ABOUT 3% TO ABOUT 20% BY WEIGHT OF THE COLOR BASE COMPOSITION. 